138. Bob Parsons

New Town/Penguin/Glenorchy/Clarence, Rover/Forward, 1945-1955 and 1965-1968

> Coached Penguin, 1951-55> Coached Glenorchy, 1965-68, including 1965 TFL and state premierships> Represented Tasmania at the 1950 and 1953 national carnivals where he was known as the ‘Mighty Atom’> Leading goalkicker, 1950 national carnival> 211 senior games for New Town (95), Penguin (70), Clarence (6), Tasmania (8), TFL (22) and NWFU (10), including player premierships at New Town in 1948 and 1949> Member of Penguin’s ‘Team of the Century’

From an early age Bob Parsons was a champion in sport, captaining the state schoolboy football team. The war interrupted the start of his senior career but post-war he teamed up with Jack Rough and Bill Fox to form a top following division for New Town. Both Parsons and Rough moved to the north west coast in 1951 and coached fierce rivals Penguin and Ulverstone respectively.

Arguably the greatest achievement in Parsons’ career came when he topped the goal kicking at the 1950 Brisbane carnival. With 14 goals in four games, Parsons finished two ahead of dual Brownlow medallist Bill Hutchison of the VFL, while renowned full forward John Coleman could manage only nine goals for the series. Had an All Australian team been selected after the championships there seems little doubt that Parsons would have been included.

The ‘Mighty Atom’ gave tremendous service to Tasmanian football as both a player and a coach for the better part of three decades.